Khawaja plays straight bat ahead of Test audition

Bulls batsman Usman Khawaja's 85 against New South Wales has reminded selectors of his ability ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka.

Getty Images Chris Hyde file photo

Usman Khawaja has a huge opportunity to seal a Test berth when he captains the Chairman's XI against Sri Lanka, but the Bulls' batsman has played down the importance of the three-day match which starts on Thursday.

The retirement of Ponting - who racked up 41 Test hundreds and is widely acknowledged as Australia's best batsman since Don Bradman - after the Perth Test leaves a big hole in the batting line-up.

Khawaja, South Australia's Phil Hughes, and recently demoted Victorian Rob Quiney are seen as the frontrunners to replace Ponting, but Khawaja has the advantage of playing in the Chairman's XI match against Sri Lanka ahead of the opening Test at Bellerive Oval next week.

Asked on Wednesday if he was the man to fill the vacancy, Khawaja was non-committal.

"I don't know, that's not my decision, I've just got to go out tomorrow, captaining this side, and hopefully I can do a good job there," Khawaja said.

"Then, the rest of that will take care of itself, it's out of my hands."

Khawaja reminded selectors of his ability with a knock of 85 in Queensland's one-day match with New South Wales in Canberra on the weekend.

"It was good, I obviously didn't get runs the two weeks before then, so it was nice to get out there again and do well.

"We've had a good run, the Queensland boys, especially in the one-dayers, we won our last three games, so it was probably more important from that point of view that we're still going with the winning streak."

With a week to go to the start of the three-Test series, Khawaja was asked whether it was important for his team to go out and dent the tourists' confidence with a strong performance.

"It's a case for the guys to go out there and have fun, and put a really big show on," he said.

"There's a lot of young guys there, there's a few older guys there too, whether or not it dents their (Sri Lanka's) confidence) or how well we do, I can't answer that either.

"I think it's important for the guys to embrace this and enjoy it, because you don't get the chance to play against international teams every day.

"You know, for some of these guys like Alex (Doolan), myself and some of the other guys that are around, that are in the frame, if we do get a chance later in the summer, at least ... we'll have (had) a see of them (Sri Lanka)."

Renewing acquaintances

Khawaja has experience playing against Sri Lanka, having played in two Tests in Galle and Pallekele in 2011, scoring 21, 26 and 13 not out.

He was impressed with Sri Lanka's spin star, Rangana Herath, who will be the tourists' main strike option this summer.

Herath, who is ranked number two in the world, has just taken 22 wickets in two Tests on home soil against New Zealand.

"He played really well, he's the type of bowler I like to call cagey, he's very smart," Khawaja said.

"He's deceiving in the way he actually releases the ball, he'll be a good test out there, it'll be good fun."

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene also spoke on Wednesday, declaring that Australia still had a decent line-up, even without Ponting's experience.

"They've got a lot of first-class experience with the guys coming in," he said.

"Then Michael Clarke and Huss (Mike Hussey), both of them are in pretty good nick, so we can't be complacent.

"We need to be sure from ball one that we give them a good go - it's a three-match series, it's important that we start well.

"I see them (Australia) as wounded soldiers, they could come back strong against us so we need to make sure that we are ready for that."